LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Jefferson County Public Schools no longer plans to eliminate elementary school bookkeeper positions that were previously targeted for cuts in the district's budget plan, according to the union representing clerical workers.
Nicole Humphrey, president of JCAESP AFSCME Local 4011, said JCPS no longer plans to cut the jobs.
"Dr Yearwood and I discussed the concerns that we had with eliminating the Elementary Bookkeepers and he felt that it would be best to keep those elementary bookkeepers who are currently in schools and to centralize those schools that had vacancies," Humphrey said in a written statement Monday. "This would give the district a better idea of how the centralized system would work. We are happy that Dr Yearwood decided to make this change and look forward to working with him in the future."
The original budget proposal called for cutting 61 elementary school bookkeeper positions. Those employees manage money at schools, including field trip funds, book fair money and after-school activity fees.
Under the initial plan, the district would have replaced those jobs with 22 central office positions. Those employees would have rotated between several schools each day.
After the proposal was announced, employees and parents said they were concerned the change could put JCPS at risk for financial mismanagement or fraud.
Superintendent Brian Yearwood had initially estimated the move would save the district $2.5 million. It's not clear whether JCPS plans to make up those savings elsewhere in the budget.
A spokesperson for the district said Yearwood on Monday told elementary school principals that "if they currently have a filled bookkeeper position, they can keep that position for the 2026-27 school year."
"If they have a vacant bookkeeper position, it will not be filled and those schools will receive support from the centralized group of bookkeepers," the spokesperson said.
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